Album Reviews

This mostly introspective, Jackie McLean led session featuring trombonist Grachan Moncur III (who contributes three of the four compositions), Roy Haynes, bassist Larry Ridley and Bobby Hutcherson, whose vibraphone add an otherworldly element to the mix, sounds more like something from an eerie “Twilight Zone” episode than what one normally expects or gets from the Blue Note franchise.

The opener, a moody ballad called “Love and Hate” creates a somber, resigned atmosphere. With the 1964 release date, one could assume the piece was written in reaction to the Kennedy assassination, but the sessions were from September and probably reflected the civil rights era.

There’s nothing “straight ahead” about the tune, which shifts time signatures and rhythmic feel, while maintaining a distraught feeling. It’s the most MJQ-like tune ever issued by Blue Note that I can recall, and not just because it includes vibes.

Next up is “Esoteric,” another Monchur piece that has more swing to it, though it too incorporates rhythmic shifts that slow down to a crawl in sections that leave Hutcherson room to fill the spaces with some cool dread. The piece casts an uneasy pall that’s easy to imagine being part of the soundtrack to a dramatic television show of the era.

McLean’s “Kahlil The Prophet” expands the bop possibilities simmering under the Monchur pieces, with Hutcherson pushed back in the mix to give McLean’s alto more roaming space in this bluesy, straight 4/4 tune taken at a fast pace.

The final tune, “Riff Raff” is the most conventional of the set, with an easily hummable “raffy” bluesy riff, that’s sure to get toes tapping. It features great work from Hutcherson.

Rudy Van Gelder had an easier time with vibes than he did with piano, which makes this one of the more consistently fine sounding Blue Notes. Every instrument is well-recorded and Hutcherson’s vibes, placed center stage, have a warm, round shimmer set up behind a precise attack.

Musically and sonically, Destination Out is a gem as is McLean’s One Step Beyond which probably was named for a science fiction TV show. If you want to know what the mid '60s felt like and what people then imagined the future might sound like, you've come to the right place!